Breaking News! History in the Making

Emancipation Proclamation

Why We Need a New Emancipation Proclamation

What was once a groundbreaking end to slavery falls short at combating modern racism in the United States.

Django Unchained (2012). With the help of his mentor, a slave-turned-bounty hunter sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal Mississippi plantation owner.

12 Films That Dared to Tackle Slavery From Roots to Django Unchained

Check out these stories on the big screen if you want to learn more about the enslavement of African people.

A family celebrates Kwanza by lighting the seven candles of the kinara and talking about the seven principles.

Happy Kwanzaa!

Learn about a relatively recent holiday that celebrates Black culture every December around the world.

Nelson Mandela leaves the chapel after attending the funeral of his great-granddaughter Zenani Mandela in Johannesburg, South Africa. South African President Jacob Zuma says that former President Nelson Mandela has been admitted to hospital in Pretoria.

Get Well Soon, Madiba

Beloved activist and former president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, has been hospitalized due to poor health.

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9-year-old Brooklyn rapper memorializes Sandy Hook tragedy with his song ‘Stop Da Violence’

An aspiring rapper who has yet to reach double digits has released his latest song in response to a school shooting.

Cameron Clarke hopes to attend Princeton University next year.

Senior With Perfect SAT Score: ‘I Try to Give Back’

Cameron Clarke’s future is high thanks to his hard work and intelligence, and his compassion helps others, too.

President Ronald Reagan talks about his drug policies in a March 1987 press conference.

Watch “Breaking The Taboo” (On USA’s Failed War On Drugs) Narrated by Morgan Freeman

Actor Morgan Freeman’s memorable voice narrates this documentary about the country’s failed war on drugs.

Image: Cashimo PT (Shutterstock)

FBI: Hate crimes down nationally; nearly half are racial

A recent FBI report has good news about hate crimes–they’re decreasing–but that may not mean much for Black Americans.

Tim Scott

Tim Scott: The No. 2 Black Politician?

Eyes have turned toward Tim Scott, a South Carolina congressman who touts Republicans values that may harm the Black community.

Children at a Chicago rally against gun violence

Urban Lives Saved by Suburban Gun Mayhem

Do politicians only talk gun control when unspeakable tragedy hits close to home, ignoring the plight of those in urban centers?

George Washington painting

George Washington’s Runaway Slave, Harry

Americans may be less familiar with one of their founding father’s involvement with slavery, including his runaway slave.

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Black in America: It’s not just about the color of your skin

What does it mean to be Black in America? As it turns out, the answer is more complicated than it seems, and racism plays a role.

Woman looking frustrated with phone and calculator

On Race and Taxes, Both Parties Insist Upon Speaking No Evil

Politicians and citizens alike argue about the state of taxes, but no one seems willing to bring race into the discussion.

Newark NJ mayor Cory Booker is an activist and hero who ran into a burning home to save residents. He regularly communicates with constituents through social media – and is a partner in Waywire, a start-up.

Newark Mayor Cory Booker’s Food Stamp Challenge

Newark’s mayor issued a challenge to others to live off food stamps over Twitter, and he’s willing to do the same.

Sherrilyn Ifill, law professor at the University of Maryland, will chart a new course for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund as its new head.

Meet the Nation’s Next Civil Rights Leader

Law professor Sherrilyn Ifill is stepping into a new role as the lead of the Legal Defense Fund according to a press report.

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Biracial versus black: Thought leaders weigh in on the meaning of President Obama’s biracial heritage

Thought leaders offer unique perspectives on what it means to have not only a black man, but also a biracial man, in the White House.

Listen to the Maple Leaf Rag by Scott Joplin

Happy Birthday, Scott Joplin!

An influential music composer, Scott Joplin, was born during the Reconstruction era and is known for his contributions to ragtime music.

Many white Americans resist the Supreme Court's order to desegregate public schools in 1954. Many still do.

Race, Class and Schools

Kevin P. Chavous ponders the significance of the Supreme Court decree for desegregation in the face of today’s education realities.

The United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, may replace Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, when Clinton retires in the next few months.

Jim Clyburn: Susan Rice Attacks Are Racial Code

Some are wondering whether criticisms of U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice are based in reality or racism.

Sarah Jane Early

On This Day in History, Sarah Jane Early Was Born

Sarah Jane Early’s defied sexism and racism in the 1800s as a Black female teacher and abolitionist.

Antonio Manuel, by Francesco Caporale, 1629. Rome, Santa Maria Maggiore, Baptistery.

Who Was Africa’s 1st Ambassador to Europe?

Few people have heard of Chrachanfusus, an ambassador from the African nation of Kongo who traveled to Europe.